DDOT Plans Improvements for Georgetown

Prepare for more construction and road closures on a street near you. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has plans big and small for improving Georgetown's infrastructure, traffic flow and accessibility. From new bridges, to new left turns and a new life for old streetcar tracks, DDOT will make its presence known in the neighborhood for the foreseeable future.

In August DDOT started a new Circulator route to replace the Blue Bus and the agency plans a late September launch of the Capital Bikeshare program with a proposed four locations in Georgetown.

Another recent addition is the new left turn on M Street. Cars traveling eastbound on M Street are now able to turn left on Wisconsin Avenue. The change required DDOT to remove nine parking spaces on the south side of M Street, move a loading zone farther west of the intersection and relocate a bus stop farther east of the intersection. DDOT spokesman John Lisle said that "for the most part traffic will be able to maintain the flow" of travel along M Street.

On the three bridges over the C&O Canal, 30th St. construction finished in July and work on Thomas Jefferson St. just began in August. The project timeline from DDOT's website has the Thomas Jefferson St. bridge scheduled for an April 2011 completion; 29th St. is scheduled to finish in September 2012. The entire project is set for a December 2012 completion at a cost of $9.7 million.

The transportation agency put out a request for qualifications for contractors for the rehabilitation of O and P Sts. from Wisconsin Ave. to 37th St. The project, according to Lisle, will entail temporarily removing the streetcar rails, improving the street and then returning the historic rails to the street. The project is the result of extended conversations with the community to strike a balance between improving the accessibility and safety of the roads and maintaining the historic integrity of the streetcar rails. Current construction estimates suggest a May 2012 completion at a cost of $12.3 million.

Neighbors can contact the agency with questions or concerns by email ddot@dc.gov , by phone (202) 673-6813 or on Twitter @ddotdc.